21st Century Marshall Plan

Of all the enemies to public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few … No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare. – James Madison

War is just one more big government program. – Joseph Sobran

I find it hard to get comfortable with the thought media's insistence that we are at war in Iraq. From my perspective, this war ended roughly around the time that "W" did his flyboy impression on the aircraft carrier. You know, the now famous "mission accomplished" speech. As the commander-in-chief, he is uniquely qualified to say that, you know. And certainly, the mission as it was defined was, you know, accomplished. So, the war was and is over, isn't it?.

It's over of course, until it's convenient for the president or any of his friends or enemies to cite the war as some justification for some other transgression, but I quibble.

Really, what's happening now in Iraq, is the 21st century version of the Marshall plan. This is where we transfer billions of dollars of our wealth, to a country that already has a sought after, most valuable natural resource of its own. That makes this the very essence of a welfare program.

So, it's not really still a war, at least not our war. For our men, it's an infrastructure enterprise, and a police training operation. We have no clear military objective. That objective was met when Saddam's statue was pulled from it's moorings. There's another thing. People get all ballistic and emotional about the prospect of a civil war in Iraq. Listen, it's a civil war, okay? Not that big a deal. We have those all the time. Think Waco. Think NOW rallies. Think Devil's Night in Detroit.

We have another big government program, now, this Marshall plan masquerading as a military engagement. If we all just look at it that way, we will be able to see it for what it is, and take the right action.